Shurpanakha was the sister of the Lanka king, Ravana. Her legends are mainly narrated in the epic Ramayana and its other versions.
Shurpanakha's appearance has drastic differences in the different versions of the epic. Most versions mention her as facially unpleasant, pot bellied, wry-eyed, coppery-haired, ugly featured, brassy voiced, deplorably oldish, crooked talker, ill-mannered, uncouth and abominable. In contrast, the various other accounts especially Kampan's Iramavataram mention her taking an attractive form to seduce the exiled Prince Rama in the forest.
The sculpt tries to depict this duality of Shurpanakha. One side of her is beautiful, youthful and kind the other side is angry, unpleasant and fierce.
